Automatic water control for bathtubs



Nov. 21, 1939.

DQ E. BRUMMETT ATOIATIC WATER CONTROL FOR BA'IH'I'UBSv Filed Aug. 1, 1939 2 sheets-sheet 1 mnn- Hmm

Attorneys l Nov. 21, i939. D. EfBRLm/IMFJ'T` 2.180,79()

AIH'IIC WATER CONTROL FOR BATHTUBS Fild Aug. 1, 1939 2- sheets-sheet 2 A Hanley: Y.

APatented Nov. 21, 1939 UNI-TED STATI-:s

AUTOMATIC WATER CONTROL FOR BATHTU'BS Durell Ellson Brummett, Shreveport, La. Application August `1, 1939,` Serial No. 287,817

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an automatic water control for bathtubs, the general object of the invention being'to provide adjustable means for regulating the level ofwater'in the tub and also.

and arrangement of the several parts to be herebathroom, the wateriiow of which is controlled f and regulated by this invention. Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of the room. and the tub and also through portions of the invention with parts in' elevation.

Figure 3 is a top plan view with parts in section. Figure 4 is a section on the line 4,-4 of Figure 2. Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Figure 2.

tion a tank I is located in a hidden compartmentv or chamber adjacent the bathroom or in any other suitable place and the wall W between this chamberA and the bathroom carries the fixtures which act ascontrols for the various parts of the invention.

A pipe 2 leads downwardly from the bottom of the tub and a pipe 3 connects the bottomy of thev tank I with a part of the pipe 2, the pipe 2 extending downwardly below the junctionv of the pipe Stherew'ith where it joins a waste pipe and below the junction of the pipes 2 and 3 is located in the pipe 2 a valve seat 5 for a downwardly closing valve 6 which has connected therewith upper and lower perforated armatures I for the upper and lower solenoids 8 which are carried by said part of the pipevz, spring holding means 9 being provided for the upper armature for normally holding the valve in raised position until the lower solenoid is energized when the valve will be closed. Of course, when the valve is to (Cl. 4-192) f be opened' again the upper solenoid is energized to raise the upper. armature and the valve. 4I'hese parts can be arranged in any suitable or desired manner so that the valvev can be opened and closed by electric means.

Hot and cold water supply pipes Ill lead into the space above the tank I and have the valves I I at their ends'fthe valves being connected together by a cross pipe I2 and this cross pipe isconnected by a pipe I3 which leads to a valve I4 in the tank, this valve I4 being similar to that used in ushtanks and it includes the control arm I5 which is operated by a float I6. When the valve I4 is open water will flow therefrom'through the pipe I'I to the curved outlet pipe I8 which ex- 'vends through vthe wall W' and discharges into the tub. Of' course, some of this waterentering the tub will iiow through the pipe 2 and pipe 3 into the tank I and raise the iioat I6 to a point where it will cause thel arm I5 to close the valve I4 and thus stop flow of Awater into the'tub and tank. c vThe stems II of the valve Il have the sprocket wheels I9 thereon over which passes an endless chain 28, said chain being actuated by a large sprocket wheel' 2I on a shaft 22 which is journaled in the Wall W' and passes into the bathroom where it is provided with a knob 23 which has an indicator mark thereon for cooperating with the letters or characters 24 for indicating when the valves are closed or when the valves are adjusted to permit coldv water to pass into the pipe I3 or a mixture of hot and cold water or hot water, or these characters can be made in the form of graduations of degrees so thatvthe device can be regulated to supply vwater into the tub of any desired degree by simply adjusting the knob 23.

Means are also provided for regulating the amount of water to be placed'in the tub and such means includes athreaded stem 25 for the' :loat I6 which passes through a threaded collar 2B which is attachedto the arm I5 as shown in Figures 2 and 6 so that as the shaft is turned the :loat is raised and lowered relatively to the collar and this will vary the time of closing movement of the valve I4 by the arm I5. This shaft is turned from a knob 21 rotatably arranged on the wall W' and having a Bowden wire or flexible shaft 28 connected' with the shank ,thereof 'fand this flexible shaft being connected with the screw threaded shaft 25 so that by turning the knob the screw shaft can be turned to raise or lower the float relative to the arm/I5. Turning of the knob 21 also turns the gearing 3|! in a casing 3| attached to the inner, face of the wall.

W and .this gearing rotates a flexible shaft 32 when turning the knob to raiseandlower the oat the operator will also turn the arrow or pointer 33 and by looking at the dial to indicate when the parts are set to half ll the tub, threeo quarters ll the tub or' any other desired water level. Of course, when the pointer or arrow reaches the desired indication on the dial the knob is not turned any longer and the oat will be in a position that it will close the valve I4 by means of the arm I5 when the level of water reaches that for which the indicating means are set.

When the arm reaches a lposition Where the valve I4 is closed thereby it is engaged by a depending latch member 35 suitably supported from a rod 36 in the top of the tank and this latch member holds the parts 'in position with the valve closed. The latch member is held in latching position by a spring 31 and at its lower end has an armature 38 thereon which is attracted to a magnet or solenoid 39 when the same is energized and, of course, when this is done the member` 35 syvings out of engagement with the arm I5 so that the float can drop as the Water level drops.

As shown in Figure 9 the solenoid 39 is in circuit with the solenoid 8 which acts to close the valve 6 and this circuit is controlled by a switch 40 on the wall W so that it can be manipulated by the bather and the circuit for the upper solenoid 8 for opening the valve is shown "at 8 and is controlled by the switch 4I on the Wall W.

Thus one wishing to take a bath would i'lrst turn the knob 2'I to adjust the oat I6 and turn the pointer 33 and the gauge 34 to the desired water level and he would manipulate the switch 40 to close the valve. 6 and release the latch member 35 Awhich would permit the iioat to move downwardly and cause the arm I5 to open the valve and if the knob 23 had been turned from oi positionwater would start to flow from the hot and cold water pipes through the valves II and pipe I3 through the valve I4 and pipe IT and discharge into the tub through the member I8. Of course, this member 23 would have been adjusted to open the valve'II to an extent to provide a proper'mixture of the hot and cold water to make the Water'flowing into the tub of the desired temperature. As the water level rises in the tub and tank it will raise the oat I 6 until the collar 26 raises the arm I5 and causes the valve I4 to close and thus stop further iiow of Water so that the tub will be'fllled to a level on which the indicator was set. As the arm I5 moves to the raised position to close the oat it will be engaged by the latch member v35 which holds the parts in raised position with the valve closed until the switch 40 is again closed. When it is desired to empty the tub the switch 4I is closed which'supplies current to the upper solenoid 8 and this attracts the upper armature and opens the valve. Guide rods 42 are suitably supported in the tank I for the oat I6 and the usual gooseneck pipe 43 extends upwardly from the valve. v

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination andl arrangement of the several parts provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims. t

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

pipes, a pipe connecting the valves together, a

pipe connecting the last-mentioned pipe with the valve in the tank, means for adjusting the hot and cold Water valves to regulate the temperature of water flowing through the first-mentioned valve, means for regulating the -time of closure of the first valve by the oatifor regulating the water level in the tub.A

2. In combination with a tub and hot and cold water supply pipes, a tank in communication with the tub, a iioat controlled valve in the tank, a pipe leading from the outlet of the valve to supply water to the tub, valves in the hot and cold water pipes, a pipe connecting the valves together, a pipe connecting the last-mentioned pipe with the valve in the tank, means for adjusting the hot and coldwater valves to regulate the temperature of water flowing through the first-mentioned valve, means for regulating the time of closure of the first valve by the float for regulating the water level in the tub, a drain valve, electric means for opening and closing the same.

3. In combination with a tub and hot and cold water supply pipes, a tank in communication with the tub, a float controlled valve in the tank, a

pipe leading from the outlet of the .valve to supperature of water iiowing through the rst-mentioned valve, means for regulating the time of closure of the first valve by the float for regulating the water level in the tub, a drain valve,

electric means for opening and closing the same,

a latch for holding the oat operated valve member in raised position with the -valve closed and electric means for releasing the latch lmeans when the'waste valve is closed.

4. In combination with a tub of a bathroom and hot and lcold water supply pipes, a tank located in a chamber 4adjacent the bathroom, means for connecting the 'bottoni of the tank to the waste pipe of the tub above the waste valve therein, hot and cold water valves in the hotand cold water pipes located in the chamber, manually operated means for manipulating said valves from the bathroom, a cross pipe connecting the valves together, a oat operated valve in the tank, pipes leading from the cross pipe into the float operated valve, a, pipe leading from the float operated valve through the wall between the chamber' and the bathroom to supply water to the tub, means for adjusting the float relative to the valve operating member actuated by the float for gauge for indicatingthe water level for which the oat adjusting'means are set, said gauge being operated by turning of said float adjusting means, electric meansfor closing andlopening the waste valve, switches in the bathroom for controlling said electric means, a latchl member lfor holding the oat operated member in raised position with the valve closed and means for releasing said latch member when the electric means for closing the waste valve is actuated.

DURErL 

